updated 09:20 am EST, Mon March 8, 2010

Adamo XPS cannot be bought anywhere

Dell in an odd move has withdrawn the Adamo XPS from sale on its site. While the ultraportable still has a product page, it's no longer linked from the PC builder's regular pages and doesn't work properly. Those who try to click "continue" to buy the notebook get an order error, suggesting that the Adamo XPS isn't in the company's system.

The system is still available in the UK through Dell's exclusive retail deal with John Lewis, but it currently sits in low supply with just seven units in stock at the online store.

Electronista has contacted Dell spokespeople for an answer to the disappearance, but the company hasn't had an opportunity to respond as of press time.

A sudden exit of the Adamo XPS would be somewhat unexpected as the system had only shipped in December. The potential exists for the system to be on hiatus until an updated model is available. However, sales have been a potential problem for the Adamo XPS as it not only costs more than the $1,499 MacBook Air it has been consciously pitted against by Dell but the company's own Adamo 13, which dropped to $999 in less than a year but has similar performance to the XPS.

Didn't work -this time-?

When has it -ever- worked? Dell copied the iMac with the webPC (look, ma, no floppy!). Went nowhere. Copied the iPod with the DJ. Another failure. Now their MacBook Air copy is getting the heave-ho, to nobody's surprise.

After the success of the iPhone, they are gearing up to start making phones of their own, which I'm sure will also be shoddy knockoffs with nothing compelling about them-- especially if they run Windows Mobile, or Windows Phone, or whatever Microsoft is calling it now.

Burger King Kobe Beef

These products are a bit like Burger King's Kobe Beef burger. If you're going to pay for Kobe Beef, you're not going to go to Burger King. If you're going to Burger King, you're not going to pay for Kobe Beef. But realistically, Burger King never really intended to sell many of them - they're just good publicity.